ICM - Leeds Design Agency

Originally cars were designed for speed and high performance, the most beautiful designs reflecting either the power of the vehicle or its ability to go very fast. In Japan, overcrowded roads and their reliance on imported oil has created a new challenge for their car industry. The Science Museum’s exhibition, Japan Car, is a fantastic insight into the future of cars.

All the cars are limited in size and known as a “mobile cell”. Some of the cars run on electricity alone or a mixture of electricity and petrol. One of the cars runs on hydrogen. Our own reliance in the UK on the oil industry has meant that this technology is being largely ignored. Let’s just hope that these designs are going to be a part of our near future.

This crazy car is a little bit like an advanced grannymobile, it can travel on the road with cars or on the pavement. I think I might be a little embarrassed in one of these!

More pictures can be found at Flickr.

This amazing video illustrates Japan’s journey and its historical background – the mountainous interior and the cities that surround it.